The Calm Before Christmas
by V.Evergreen
Summary: Christmas is a time for family. Old, new, blood related or not, Steve finds it's all the same to him, really.


"Careful! Support her head."

Steve looked up to see a sight that three years ago he would have staked his life on never seeing. He hadn't really expected to be there, but only the day before he'd received a call from Tony stating in no uncertain terms that he would show up at the tower tomorrow or be dragged there by the rest of the team. After all, christmas eve was a time for family and that was exactly what the Avengers had become.

Back in the forties his christmas's were usually spent with Bucky huddled around the fire as they tried to keep warm against the bitter chill of a winter in Brooklyn. Money was scarce and so presents rare but he had still loved the atmosphere. Decorations, of course, were few and far between but between them they'd managed to scrounge a bit of holly to make a crooked wreath of which they'd both been proud. It hadn't been much overall but it was special to him, and one of his fondest memories.

Now however, couldn't be more different. Knowing Tony as he did he should have expected such extravagance but it still came as a shock as he walked out of the elevator doors onto the main floor. A large pine tree stood resplendent in the corner, baubles and tinsel falling of its branches. Lights that had been draped over it cast a merry glow to the walls and illuminated the laughing faces of the people who sat nearby.

The sound of their chat reached him and he smiled at the sound of their voices. It had been a while since he had seen them all in one place but it seemed like no time at all now they sat in front of him. The entire room was pleasantly stuffy and made even more homely by the smell of the still cooking dinner that sat in the oven. He could hear the sound of the wind as it flew past the floor to ceiling windows but it didn't make him feel cold; the tower felt like a safe place, warm and cosy and completely tucked away from the world. He had sat down, smiled, and was immediately included in the was then he had looked up and and seen the sit that he would have thought impossible only three short years ago.

Tony Stark stood over fussing around Bruce as he passed over his first born daughter. Steve watched as Bruce tried to smother a smile as Tony continued to hover. "I've held a baby before, Tony." He said not bothering to look at Tony, instead staring at the swathed bundle he cradled in his arms.

"Yeah, but she's _my_ child," retorted Tony, "which makes her automatically better than any other baby you've ever held."

Steve had known about baby Maria, of course. He'd received the almost constant updates on her, as had everyone else, he was sure. He hadn't minded them at all. It was nice to see one of his friends building a life and a family. Even if it meant putting up with a perpetually more smug than usual Tony as he continued to document his daughters every achievement and tell them of it.

Steve couldn't help but watch Bruce as he continued to hold the little baby in his arms. He looked almost reverent as he looked down at the miniature Stark. It occurred to Steve that this was possibly the most trust that anyone had ever placed in Bruce. Despite the years that the Avengers had always been there to save the day people still tended to act a little wary around him. It was unfair and stupid but it didn't change the fact that they treated him like he was about to turn big and green at any given second. Steve could tell the fact that Tony had made sure Bruce was the first one to hold his daughter meant more than Bruce would probably ever say.

The conversation continues as normal for a few minutes before Clint shifted in his seat. Nothing too overt or noticeable but suddenly Tony's attention seemed to zero in on him. "You." He said, "You're next." Steve could have sworn his voice sounded a little scary then and he wondered if it was really necessary just to get Clint to hold Maria.

As it turned out it was. Clint immediately stood up, "I'm just gonna go and grab another drink-" he was abruptly pulled back down into his seat by Natasha who looked like she was enjoying every second of his discomfort. "You know," he began again eyes wide, "I'm not really good at the whole baby thing-"

"Are you saying you don't _want_ to hold my kid, Barton?" Asked Tony narrowing his eyes.

Clint's eyes darted around, looking for an escape, "That's not what I'm saying at all-"

"That's what it sounds like." Tony replied flatly. He continued to stare at Clint. Steve had suppress his own smirk as the archer got progressively more fidgety until he gave in with a defeated sigh and held out his arms.

Tony immediately smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. Bruce moved over and ever-so-carefully placed the baby into Clint's waiting arms. It was almost comical the way the pained expression melted straight off of his face leaving no trace of it behind. His hold on her was still awkward but he looked down into the bundle and smiled as he saw the tiny baby.

The baby looked back up at him and immediately began to sniffle. Within moments it had become a full out wail. Clint's panicked expression returned.

"What do I do?" He asked looking around desperately for help. He sat stock still as though he might break what he held but Maria only cried louder. Tony moved as if to take his daughter back but, surprisingly, Natasha got there first.

With a deftness that took him aback, Natasha had taken Maria from Clint's rigid grip and held her on her own lap, bouncing her up and down gently. The wails subsided into hiccups which slowly faded to a wide eyed stare.

"Alright, who set her off?" Steve twisted in his chair to see Pepper walking into the room, her mouth smiling but her eyes automatically seeking out her daughter. Immediately, all occupants in the room swivelled to look at Clint, whose cheeks were slowly colouring.

When Pepper saw her daughter was in safe hands she walked over to stand by Tony. He reached out and wrapped a hand around her waist and together they looked down at Natsha who was still holding their baby. "You're good with her, you know." Commented Pepper.

Natasha didn't look up at them though she did give a weak smile. Steve pretended he didn't see Clint give her knee the briefest of squeezes. He decided he didn't want to know.

The moment passed quickly. Natasha smiled for real at the rest of them though when Pepper took her baby back she made sure she leveled a stony look at Tony. Steve almost laughed at the way the smug expression melted off his face as he remembered all too well why he shouldn't antagonise the Russian assassin.

"Thor," began Pepper tentatively, "would you like to hold her?"

Thor had been unusually quiet for as long as Steve had been there. He didn't seem unhappy or melancholy but curious. He watched the celebrations around him with the air of someone trying to understand something just a little foreign for them to comprehend. It must be strange of him, Steve supposed. Thor had told them all of the feasts, banquets and balls held on Asgard, of their extravagance and luxury. He had even invited them all on several occasions to attend and was disappointed when none of them seemed to keen to travel across dimensions via the rainbow road. Steve was no scientist, he left that to Tony and Bruce, but even he had misgivings about utilising such methods of travel. But this, Steve thought, this was nothing quite so grand. It was true that he had no doubt it was more expensive than any Christmas had any right to be, but the fact remained that they were gathered around the tree, talking and laughing as they cooed over a baby. Not exactly the most formal of events. In fact, now he looked Clint was still in his pyjamas.

Definitely not the most formal of events.

Still, Thor took it all in good humour, although Steve had overheard Tony trying not to laugh as the literal god pondered what reason a so called angel would have to perch on top a tree all day long.

At being addressed he looked at Pepper, "I am afraid I do not know how to hold such a small child-" he began but Pepper quickly cut him off.

"Here, I'll show you." The rest of them looked on as Pepper walked over to him and gently laid Maria down in his arms. They watched as she subtly adjusted his arms so as to support her child's head and stepped back.

It was almost to comical to see someone so fearsome and sometimes terrifying as Thor holding a baby, looking almost every bit as scared as Clint had done. Once he appeared satisfied that she would not spontaneously break in his arms he looked up and gave them all a somewhat goofy grin made funnier given how much he dwarfed the already minute being in size. "She is a beautiful child." He told both Tony and Pepper, his tone utterly sincere.

Pepper smiled and Tony bared his familiar cocky grin. "Of course she is-" started Tony.

"-I was directly involved." Finished Pepper with a smile, "Yes, we know." Tony flashed her a smile and simply held her closer with one arm. It was oddly private moment that made Steve feel the urge to look away.

He was brought back to the present rather abruptly, "Steve, would you like to hold her?" Asked Pepper gently.

He opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. There was a moment before he found himself talking, "Yeah, I sure would." He said wondering if the words had managed to find their way out of their own volition.

Pepper smiled but it was Tony who took Maria from her and walked towards Steve. Steve held his arms awkwardly, trying to copy the way he remembered Thor or Natahsa holding her.

Tony chuckled and laid down his daughter carefully in the arms of the super soldier. After a second to make sure Steve wasn't going to drop her or anything of the sort he straightened his back and took a step back. Steve barely noticed. His entire attention was devoted to the small baby he held in his arms. He knew exactly why Clint had had that panicked expression on his face and suddenly he didn't find it so funny.

Maria was warm and surprisingly heavy in his arms. He looked down at her and almost laughed. Already she had a shock of dark hair, exactly the colour of her father's and blue eyes that had been copied straight from her mother's face. Apart from that, though, her face was her own.

Tony sat down next to Steve, putting them at the same eye level. Steve looked at him but Tony didn't look back. He was looking at his daughter in such a contented way that it put Steve at ease just seeing it. "She really is beautiful." Said Steve quietly to Tony. The conversation of the others swelled around them making their conversation personal to them.

Tony looked at Steve and then back to the baby he held, "I know." He said, for the first time his voice devoid of the bravado that he had kept up around the others.

Steve scrutinised him carefully, trying to decide if his next comment would be welcome or not. In the end he decided he didn't care. "He would be proud of you y'know." Tony looked at him in confusion. "Howard." Clarified Steve, "I know you probably don't want to hear it but I'm going to say it anyway. I don't know what kind of father he was to you, but from what I've heard he wasn't the best one. Not like you."

Tony didn't look away from his daughter and for a second Steve thought he'd gone too far. But when Tony did look up and Steve was suprised at the emotion he saw in the other man's face.

His usually closed off eyes showed emotions and insecurities that he was still getting used to the thought that Tony actually had. Steve almost felt like he should say something more but there wasn't anything that needed to be said. He knew that despite trying to hide it Tony was as insecure as any new father and doubted his own ability to look after his new family. But he also knew that when Tony put his mind to something he surpassed at it, and anyone would have to be a fool to miss how devoted he was to his family.

With one last look at the child in his arms Steve passed her over to her father. Tony still looked a distant but he reached for his daughter automatically and held her tightly. Steve stood and with a light clap to the shoulder he took a few steps backwards.

Pepper immediately took his place next to Tony. He smiled; he'd always found Pepper and Tony's in sync behavoiur a little odd, a byproduct of living in each others pockets for over a decade he guessed, but at this moment there was nothing strange about it. She seemed to just know that Tony could use her support so there she was with a smile and an arm around him. Tony looked at her and smiled back. Not his public smile, or his cocky one or even his sarcastic one. Just an honest smile with no agenda. She returned it.

Steve looked around at the people in the room. Natasha had slung her legs over Clint's and both were laughing at Thor who was trying to finish the mouthful of mince pie he had taken without spitting it back out. He put down the rest of it with a grimace and a laugh.

Bruce was sat forward smiling, but from his overly innocent manner Steve was sure that it had probably been him that had offered Thor the pie in the first place.

Maria may have been the newest addition to the family but Steve knew it wasn't just her mother and father who were her family. No, they were all stuck together, now. Steve smiled at the thought, Christmas was a time for family and that's exactly who they were all with.

_..._

A/N- Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a lovely day! If you read this and enjoyed (or didn't), please leave a review or comment, thank you!

VE


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